SSFL 23: “Pres” end Fatima’s unbeaten run, San Juan move top

Midfielder Levi Jones’ headed goal, midway into the second half, was enough to guarantee Presentation College (San Fernando) a 1-0 victory over the previously unbeaten Fatima College in a Round Seven encounter, as the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division continued on Wednesday.

That result, at the Fatima Ground on Mucurapo Road, brought to a halt Fatima’s unbeaten run in the 2023 regular season.

San Juan North took advantage of Fatima’s slip-up as they moved to the top of the 16-team group, courtesy of a 2-1 win over the struggling Trinity College East at Bourg Mulatresse.

Naparima College failed in their attempt to climb back to first place as they could not hold on to a 2-0 lead over St Benedict’s College and eventually succumbed 3-2 to the defending champs at Lewis Street, San Fernando.

San Juan North have a tally of 18 points, followed by Fatima (16), Naparima (15) and Presentation (14).

Speyside Secondary stayed in fifth spot after beating East Mucurapo Secondary 2-1 at the Speyside Recreation Ground.

Elsewhere, Arima North Secondary edged Malick Secondary 2-1, St Mary’s College eked out a 3-2 win away to Bishop’s High School, Queen’s Royal College (QRC) trounced Chaguanas North Secondary 6-0 and St Anthony’s College brushed aside cellar-placed Pleasantville Secondary 6-1.

At the Fatima Ground, chances were few and far-in-between, with both teams almost cancelling each other out.

Presentation captain Kanye Lazarus was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the first half, as he produced three timely saves to repel attacks from the home team.

Three minutes into the contest, Fatima playmaker Aidan De Gannes intercepted a bad pass from the Presentation midfield and raced down the left flank. His low cross was met by striker Luke Correia but an alert Lazarus blocked Correia’s first effort, while the second attempt was cleared by the defence.

Jones and fellow defensive midfielder Nkosi Foncette did their best to protect the Presentation backline. However, the tandem of De Gannes and Correia found space down the middle, with Correia the beneficiary of De Gannes’ through ball in the 18th minute.

The striker hesitated, under pressure from centre-back Tyrel Pemberton, before hitting a left-footed shot which produced a magnificent save from Lazarus.

The Presentation goalie was again called into action, in the 43rd minute, to block a goal-bound drive from central midfielder Kade Collier.

The Presentation squad felt things were going from bad to worse when referee Keilon Bacchus brandished a red card to left-back Duhrell Young, after a foul on De Gannes.

Fortunately, Bacchus realised he made a mistake, as he cancelled that decision and, instead, produced a yellow card to the Pres defender.

Presentation coach Shawn Cooper must have felt that Lady Luck was on his side when Jones leapt highest to divert Adah Barclay’s left-sided corner, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Tristan Edwards in the 63rd minute.

The South-based school were tactical and compact thereafter, as the hosts tried in vain to break down their opponents.

Elijah Camacho came closest to equalising, 12 minutes from full-time, with a long-range shot which flew wide of the target.

“After a slow start [to the season], the players are really putting the coach’s plans into practice,” said Presentation goalkeeper coach Jefferson George. “I thought they executed it very well… [In the second] half, we were able to solidify the game and see it through.

“Fatima are a really good team, they really came at us.”

George was high in praise of the team’s skipper, Lazarus, and Presentation’s defensive shape.

“Kanye [Lazarus] was fantastic, he made some important saves,” he said. “[That is] an important clean sheet from us away from home.

“[Presentation head coach Shawn] Cooper is always methodical. He pays a lot of attention to details and it’s just a matter of having the boys take on the information.”

Fatima head coach Hutson “Baba” Charles said his charges were “a little flat” against Presentation yesterday.

“Pres wanted it more,” said Charles. “I think my guys lacked that kind of intensity and you [saw] the result. Maybe [there was] some complacency because we haven’t lost until [yesterday].

“The guys went into the game thinking that they already won it, and I think that was a mistake.”

Fatima are away to Chaguanas North next, on Saturday, and Charles promised some changes.

“Not because we lost [but] we have some guys who have been playing regularly,” he said, “and we have to freshen up the team a little bit.”

(Teams)

Fatima (4-5-1): 00.Tristan Edwards (GK) (captain); 22.Levi Smith, 4.Yohance Atherton, 26.Matthew Barrington, 5.Darius Jordan (19.Micaiah Leach 58th); 17.Kade Collier (30.Seth Hadeed 63rd), 14.Elijah Camacho, 20.Johan Syms (3.Jonathan Mason 46th), 2.Christian Bailey, 10.Aidan De Gannes; 31.Luke Correia (15.Michael Chaves 67th).

Unused substitutes: 1.Logan Hamel-Smith (GK), 8.Justin Alcantara, 24.Liam Gooding.

Coach: Hutson Charles

Presentation San F’do (4-5-1): 1.Kanye Lazarus (GK) (captain); 16.Micah Brathwaite (21.Djibril Felix 51st), 5.Tyrel Pemberton, 2.Terrance Worrell, 12.Duhrell Young; 19.Nkosi Foncette (3.Abayomi George 68th), 6.Levi Jones, 11.Isaiah Jacob (14.Kaielle Elliott 85th), 18.Maliq Brathwaite (9.Caleb Boyce 76th), 15.Adah Barclay; 7.Vaughn Clement.

Unused substitutes: 28.Jerelle Thorne (GK), 13.Shawn Boodram, 20.Chaz Forde, 17.Josiah Bain, 23.Cody Cooper, 24.Kwesi Seales.

Coach: Shawn Cooper

Referee: Keilon Bacchus

SSFL Premier Division Results

(Wednesday 4 October)

Fatima College 0, Presentation (San F’do) 1 (Levi Jones) at Fatima Ground;

Naparima College 2 (Josiah Cooper, Kanye Francis), St Benedict’s College 3 (Jeremiah Niles, Keanu Morean, Malachi Webb) at Lewis Street;

Speyside High 2 (Omar Daniel, Riquelme Phillips), East Mucurapo 1 (Brandon Parks) at Speyside Recreation Ground;

Bishop’s High 2 (Malik Wilson [2]), St Mary’s College 3 (Ryan Radellant [2], Elijah Wong) at Plymouth Recreation Ground;

Malick Secondary 1 (Tyrese Manswell 89), Arima North 2 (Tyrell Stapleton 13, Tyler Ayers 44) at Serpentine Road;

QRC 6 (Musaddiq Mohammed 48, Tau Lamsee 57, 71, Stephon James 62, Teshaun Franklyn 66, Kerry Baptiste Jr 80 pen), Chaguanas North 0 at QRC Ground;

San Juan North 2 (Jaheem Danclar, Nathan Quashie), Trinity East 1 (Jonathan Emrith) at Bourg Mulatresse;

St Anthony’s College 6 (Mordecai Ford [2], Theo Cravador, Russell Francois, Jean-Marc Thomas, Andell Fraser), Pleasantville Secondary 1 (Kelon Williams) at Westmoorings.

Upcoming fixtures

(Saturday 7 October)

San Juan North vs Bishop’s High, Bourg Mulatresse, 3.30pm;

Pleasantville Secondary vs Arima North, Manny Ramjohn Stadium Training Field, 4pm;

East Mucurapo vs St Anthony’s College, Fatima Ground, 4pm;

Chaguanas North vs Fatima College, Edinburgh 500, 4pm;

St Benedict’s College vs Speyside High, Mahaica Oval, 4pm;

Malick Secondary vs St Mary’s College, Park Street, Morvant, 4pm;

Naparima College vs Trinity East, Lewis Street, 4pm;

Presentation (San F’do) vs QRC, Manny Ramjohn Stadium, 4pm;